 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| RELATED SITE |
 |
Philosophy
|
| Woodworking and cabinetmaking
|
|||
WOODWORKING SKILL AQUISITION By the time I was 9 years old, I had already become quite adept at using tools thanks to my architect father. There was a wood shop in the barn outfitted with Sears power tools, and every conceivable hand tool. He used these in the process of building our home. My brother and I became intimately acquainted with these tools as we took on increasingly greater responsibility with the construction of our home, as we grew older. By the time I was 16, paneling walls, framing a room or constructing interior doors were well-learned skills. Furthermore, I quite enjoyed working with my hands and creating things. CABINETMAKING Cabinetmaking was something I picked up on my own later in life driven in part by a desire to make rather than buy needed furniture. Shortly after high school I constructed my first stereo cabinet/shelving unit while I was still living at home. It was the beginning of a hobby I very much still enjoy today. Making furniture pieces became a real focus while furnishing my first house. With need also came a desire to construct "good furniture" and that had me buying woodworking books and reading. Along the way, I came across James Krenov books, all of which I devoured. While I do not aspire to his style, I do appreciate and aspire to his conceptual and artistic approach, not to mention his precision. My furniture design and style is still evolving and has a long ways to go. Perhaps, I can even learn to carve to add some elegance to my cabinetmaking. HOBBY VS. COMMISSIONS For a brief time, I thought about using my woodworking skills to augment my income as a geologist. I tried it briefly and quickly discovered two things about myself. Firstly, I do not like to make the same piece twice and secondly, when woodworking becomes a business I loose the joy that cabinet making gives me otherwise. |
For my brother, milling lumber is something he enjoys doing. I'm grateful for his generosity of time and logs. The best part of it all is that every time Iook at the something I made out of his lumber, I think of him. |
||
 |
Cherry gun rack 1979 The gun rack was the first and last commissioned work I took. It is made of air-dried cherry and finished with 8 coats of French polished shellac. Finishing is not my forte. I do not enjoy it. |
Mirrored shelf for master bathroom gives a feeling of depth and adds interest. |
|
